Don't Fall, I Won't Catch You
by ahmazinger2
Summary: Falling in love with your best friend is so cliche. This had been something Gabriella had always thought but she can't help the way she feels for her best friend, Troy. If only they both knew how the other was feeling..
1. I'm in the habit of breaking hearts

**hey guys! new story, woot? ok so here's the deal, the first chapter is written in the first person point of view. this will be the only chapter like this.**

**as for my other stories, RP & YWN, I am working on updating RP. I still need 7 more reviews to continue writing YWN. So read it and review? love yah.**

"_I wish I could be somebody else  
I wish I could see you in myself  
Wish there was something inside me  
To keep you beside me and  
Say what you really feel  
You know I need something that's real  
I wish there was something inside me  
To keep you beside me"_

-- Keeper, Yellowcard

**Gabriella**

Falling in love with your best friend is so cliché. You know you see it all the time, whether you're reading about it in books or watching it on TV or those sappy movies. It happens though, I would know. But it was different for me. Falling in love doesn't fit the description. I wouldn't say I tripped into love either because that sounds equally wrong. What I feel is that I've been pushed, smacked or kicked into love because when it happened, I knew what the feeling was. I knew that it could not have been anything else. It had to have been love and for a fourteen-year-old girl to know what love is, well, that's impressive.

It would have been so easy to fall in love with someone who I hadn't known everything about. Knowing everything about Troy has made it difficult because I know all his flaws and I love every single one of them. The way his eyes flash with mischief when he's plotting something or when he's planning on rebelling against something or someone, brightens my day. The way he scratches the back of his neck when he's nervous I find completely adorable. But most of all, I love the way he can't lie to me. He knows that I know he cannot look at me if he's not telling the truth. It would not take an amazing detective to find out if Troy was trying to pull a fast one.

I have not always felt this way about him. I did not meet him when I was fourteen, but saying that I've known him my whole life wouldn't be completely true. A little after I had turned two my mother told my father that her good friend from high school was moving in next door. Of course, me being only two, I was not able to comprehend this. My mother was overjoyed though, since Lucille Bolton had grown up with her when they were younger. At that time, the last my mother had heard of her was that she had married and had a son of her own. So pretty much, Trpy and I have grown up together since we were two. We've always been really close, and I like it that way. The only problem is that I've had feelings for him for about three years now and he doesn't notice it one bit. Troy's dense.

People say it's impossible to fall in love quickly but for me it happened in the amount of time it takes to snap your fingers. Literally, it only took a few seconds and then _BAM_, I saw him differently than I ever had before. There are moments in a girl's life that they know they will remember 40 years from now and I can still remember the day I fell in love with Troy Bolton like it was yesterday.

The clouds in the sky were gray and gloomy, causing Albuquerque to look miserable on the particular Sunday. The rain wasn't making it any better, either. Sitting on a branch, my legs dangling in the air, I stared down from the tree I was hiding in. I knew that shortly my parents would notice me missing and call the cell phone that I had shut off a gazillion times until I answered but I refused to go home at the moment. Being a hormonal teenager, I knew that I was blowing this way out of proportion. Getting yelled at over a bad test just never ever ever I repeat EVER happens to me. I'm basically known has a geek sometimes but I'm proud of it. After throwing a fit and angrily and dramatically stomping out of my house, I went to my safe harbor.

The old oak tree in the field behind the elementary school that I had once attended had always been the place where I went if I just wanted to escape. It was the place where my best friend knew he could find me, and I knew I could find him there. As if on cue, I heard the sound of bicycle tires against the wet grass. With his face hidden beneath a baseball cap, Troy pulled his bike to a stop, throwing it against the tree for support.

"Gab, seriously, can we just get out of the rain?" He whined. Obviously, he was not in the mood for one of my temper tantrums, at least not right now in the cold, pouring rain.

"I'm not going home," I told him defiantly. I just knew I couldn't. I was always slightly embarrassed to face my parents after arguing with them.

"You don't have to…we can go to the Cricker."

Yes, of course. The Cricker. How could I have forgotten about that? When Troy was only five he had convinced Jack Bolton to construct a tree house for him. Finding it a perfect opportunity for Troy to learn, Jack decided he'd only build it if Troy himself helped him. Once it was completed and Troy walked inside, it creaked. Basically, everytime someone moved inside of it the Cricker would creak. Sometimes it even seemed like breathing made it creak. Being so young at the time, Troy had complained to his father that it "cricked" way too much and that it was too annoying to use, hence its name, the Cricker.

"Come on, El, anything is better than this," he said looking skyward, letting the rain fall right on to his face.

Slowly, I began climbing down, extremely apprehensive because secretly, I had always been afraid of heights. The bark of the tree was wet and as my foot tried to land safely on the branch beneath the one I was perched on, I lost my footing, almost screaming out as I grasped the branch I had just gotten off.

Acting as if it were no big deal, Troy waited at the bottom of the tree, knowing that I had successfully climbed up and down the oak tree hundreds of times. The weight of the day's events settled in as I clutched the tree for dear life, and I began to cry. I felt absolutely pathetic. I did not want to ask Troy for help since I hated appearing vulnerable. I was stubborn? You bet.

"Troy!" I cried out and his eyes snapped into focus as he became aware.

"What's wrong?"

"I…I can't get down, I'm slipping!"

By this time, the tears were flowing freely, but I did not care. The rain was doing a pretty good job acting as a cover-up as well.

"Don't panic," Troy reassured me. "Let go."

"What?!" I screeched.

"You heard me, I said let go," he stated calmly. "Do you trust me?"

What kind of question was that? I'd known him since I could walk and he was asking if I trusted him. But as I looked into those piercing blue eyes I knew that it was something more than trust. With Troy, I knew that I trusted him with my life and its entirety.

Then I did something unimaginable. _I let go_.

For a moment, I felt helpless, like I was crashing down to my own doom. But like I said, it was only a moment because seconds later I felt the safest I've ever felt in my life. In his arms, I knew that nothing could ever hurt me. And when he let go I felt vulnerable again. I realized at that moment that I _needed_ Troy Bolton.

Things aren't always perfect and being a straight A student, I know this. I don't live in some fantasyland where all I think about is Troy and how amazing he is because it's never been like that. What I feel for him is so pure that I feel like a different person every time I see him. I feel like I can accomplish anything in the world and I know with him by my side, I could. But he doesn't see me that way.

So, as I hear that familiar knock on my balcony door and look over to see his gorgeous face that takes my breath away with a single glance, I push away those feelings into the back of my mind. Best friends don't fall in love with each other. It ruins everything. Like I said before, that only happens in books and movies. Troy let's himself in like he always does after two knocks, and flashes me that flawless smile. He seats himself on my bed, pushing away my trigonometry books while doing so and remains silent, waiting for me to look tear my attention from my homework to him.

"What's up?" I ask, not even bothering to look at him.

He's playing with Ribbit, my stuffed Penguin, yes I know, weird name. Troy looks at me, that mischievous glint in his eyes. "I was thinking… you get off your bed and do something spontaneous with me tonight."

This got my attention. Dropping my pencil, I squinted, as if studying him. "What do you mean?"

"There's a party at Chad's and I really want to go and if I tell my parents that I'm hanging out with you then they won't suspect anything."

"But it's a school night Troy!"

He smirked. "I said you could be spontaneous. Come on, just go with me."

"So you're using me for your own benefit?"

"Of course." Troy winked. I knew it was the wink that made all of the girls at East High melt and I also knew that if I let my guard down, I would melt too.

* * *

"_Cause if you jump  
I will jump too  
We will fall together  
From the building's ledge  
Never looking back at what we've done  
We'll say it was love  
Cause I would die for you  
On skyway avenue."_

--Skyway Avenue, We the Kings

**Troy**

There are a lot of things I do not know. I don't know the last time I decided to sit down and study; I don't know when I started riding my first bike. Actually, I forget a lot. Like, for instance, what's today's date? It's the simple things that always manage to slip my mind.

I can remember the exact moment in a basketball game that we turned it around and ended up winning with a ten-point lead about three years ago. I can remember teasing someone in kindergarten and then having Gabriella make me apologize. Yes, practically my whole life I have been whipped by her. Seriously, she says jump I ask, "how high?"

I don't remember when I met her really, only that she was always there for as long as I can remember. Loving Gabriella isn't anything new too me at all. I can't remember when I decided I loved her, maybe I always have.

It's the _wanting_ that's new to me.

When I was about nine, I remember making a promise to myself that I would never let anything or anyone harm her.

The sun was so hot that day that I could practically feel the rubber soles on my sneakers melt onto the blacktop. Shading my eyes from the sun with my hand, I wound my arm back and released the ball from my arm, allowing it to roll towards Chad who was currently up at homeplate in our game of kick ball. As it rolled off of his foot, the ball soared towards Jason Cross, who was covering first base. I could barely stay focused on the game , the heat was so intense I felt like I could collapse any second now.

Beating me to it, I heard a familiar scream. Chad stopped base running and looked to Taylor or was hovering over Gabriella, my best friend, who was lying motionless on the hard ground. I sprinted to her side and immediately waved off Jason to go get my mom. Elevating her head with my hand, I placed it gently on my lap, trying somehow to pry her eyes open. But she wouldn't move. I was only nine and my basic instincts were not kicking in so all I did was sit there, fear and panic written clearly on my face. Before I knew what was happening, my mom had taken her from my arms and drove her to the hospital.

Later on I learned that it was only from dehydration and the summer heat was not making it any better. She was released quickly, so there was really nothing to worry about. But all I could remember about that day was sitting on my couch, alone while my mom was away with Gabriella. I had never been so scared in my life.

Most of all, I remember promising myself that I would never let anything or anyone harm her again. If someone even tried I knew that I'd take them down. So, I guess that's when I decided that I loved Gabriella. Ever since the beginning of this year, I have felt something foreign. Recently, I discovered that I had feelings for my best friend. The only problem is, she doesn't think of me that way.

Like any other day, I sneaked onto her balcony, letting myself in through the door. Of course, she was doing her homework, pretending like she hadn't seen me come in. Little does she know, I have a whole night planned and she better enjoy it.

**review? xox**


	2. Let's spend tonight on top of the world

**i decided to update quickly for this chapter so if it totally sucks, i'm so sorry. **

**YWN only has 3/10 reviews that it needs for me to continue so if anyone wants me to continue writing it, review.**

**anyway, enjoy. **

_"We could  
Pack up and leave all our things behind  
No fact or fiction or storyline  
Cause I need you more than just for tonight  
You're oh oh all I care  
I can't stop my breathing in  
I'm weak and you were my medicine  
I won't stop till I am under your skin."_

-- Five Minutes To Midnight, Boys Like Girls

Somehow, when Troy pulled into the hidden parking lot behind Lava Springs, Gabriella knew that they were not going to the party Troy had described. Without even saying a word, Troy turned the car off, opened the door, and left Gabriella in the passenger seat, confused with plenty of questions running through her mind. She could have easily said no and stayed home, and most likely she'd be doing homework or reading. Shaking her head slightly, as if that would cause the confusion to leave her, Gabriella opened the door to find Troy unloading blankets from the back of his truck.

"I'd hate to sound like I'm not the _spontaneous_ type but this doesn't exactly look like a party to me," Gabriella pointed out with a sly smile.

Troy smirked. "Ok so I might have lied."

"Might have?"

"The party's tomorrow." Troy laughed at the look of pure confusion written on Gabriella's face. "Freaky genius girl actually believed that there was a party on a Thursday night? Gullible Montez… real gullible."

She rolled her eyes and took a blanket from his hands. "Then what are we doing _here_?"

Lava Springs wasn't their typical hangout spot. Maybe it would be if they were rich and golfed for fun but that just wasn't Gabriella and Troy. Scanning the parking lot with her eyes, Gabriella realized that no other car was parked there. Besides that, the country club's lights were actually turned off. Everything was dark and once it got a little later in the night, she knew that it would be pitch black.

"I can't tell you and ruin the surprise," Troy pointed out as if it were obvious. He grabbed a flashlight from the truck and began walking towards the golf course. "You coming?" He asked turning around once he noticed that Gabriella wasn't following him.

Running a hand through her dark brown curls, she sighed nervously. "We're not going to be doing something illegal, right?"

Troy chuckled; he always found how much Gabriella was worried about things humorous. "No, nothing illegal. And nothing too dangerous."

"Troy! I'm being serious."

"So am I," he retorted with his mischievous smile. "You know that if you don't get moving I could always use force." Gabriella groaned, the memory coming screaming back to her.

"_No."_

"_Come on."_

"_I said no."_

"_Come on."_

"_NO."_

_Troy stared at her; his eyes closing slightly, his face spelled out one thing, which Gabriella knew, danger. The look was all too familiar. "Don't you dare even think about it, Bolton!" But the warning came too late; Troy scooped up the reluctant fifteen-year-old girl, carrying her towards the carnival ride, which she hated the most, the Ferris wheel. _

_Once they were on the ride, Gabriella couldn't stop herself from shaking. Nervously, she looked down from the moving seat they were on and she had to admit, the view was incredible. She looked further, trying to see if she could find her house but had no such luck in doing so. Suddenly, she felt sparks and looked down to see Troy holding both of her hands. _

"_You ok? You're shaking," Troy asked with concern. _

_Gabriella closed her eyes for a few seconds, forgetting completely that she was scared to death of heights. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and looked at Troy pretending that he was the only thing that she could see. She kept telling herself that they were not sixty feet in the air and for a second, she could feel her feet touch the pavement beneath them. Finally she nodded. "Yea I'm ok. Everything is ok now." _

Troy moved the blanket he was carrying over his shoulder, waiting patiently for his apprehensive friend to follow him. "Am I going to have to make you come?"

A small half smile spread on Gabriella's face after recalling the memory. She jogged to catch up to him and giggled. "Now why would you have to do that?"

"Because my friend is a stubborn bookworm."

"Well my friend is cocky and thinks he's a superstar," Gabriella shot back, joking, obviously referring to Troy and his basketball skills.

"Maybe you should start listening to him more because if you don't, we are going to miss it." Troy said laughing then began jogging down a slope on the golf course.

"Miss what exactly?" Gabriella asked following his lead.

"Has anyone ever told you that you ask way too many questions?"

"You have," She said with a giggle, coming to a stop next to Troy who was already laying down the blankets at the bottom of the hill. Throwing the blanket she was carrying on top of the ones already on the ground, she sat down, waiting for what ever Troy had in store for her. Instead, he said nothing. He only began searching the sky as if all the answers to Gabriella's questions were written in the stars. Little did she know, they were.

Quickly pulling her phone out of her jean pocket, she glanced at the time. **10:30**. It was a school night and her best friend was staying freakishly mute. She had no idea what was going on in his head.

"Troy?"

"Hmm.." He replied, his voice distant, his eyes still lingering on the night sky before turning to face Gabriella.

"Can I know what we're doing now?"

"Well my science teacher-"

Gabriella bit her lip to prevent from laughing. "What about your science teacher?"

"…he was telling us about-"

Interrupting once again, Gabriella giggled. "Since when do you listen to _Mr. Porter_?" She asked, knowing that the specific teacher had the reputation for being a little…out there.

"The class was surprisingly interesting today! If you'd listen I could tell you," Troy said sarcastically.

"Shutting up now."

Troy smiled, and couldn't seem to look away from her eyes that have always captivated him. "…like I was saying," Troy began, clearing his throat, wondering if Gabriella had noticed him staring a tad bit too long. "There were supposed to be-"

"Oh my god!" Gabriella exclaimed, pointing towards the sky. "Look at that!"

"…meteor showers," Troy said with a sigh and then looked to where Gabriella's eyes were drawn.

She sat in silence, memorized by the sky that hung above Albuquerque. "This is amazing…" she whispered. "Did you plan this?"

"Well...yeah," Troy said and inwardly agreed with her. It was amazing. Together they watched as the sky lit up with streaks of the most breathtaking colors. It was something that both of them had never experienced before. It reminded Troy of the Lite Bright boards that he and Gabriella used to play with when they were five except this was much more astounding. It almost looked unreal.

"Wow," she gasped as the lights died down and the sky became clear again with only its stars visible. "That was so worth it."

"Worth what?"

"Coming out on a school night," Gabriella said with a roll of her eyes. She playfully nudged him.

Troy glanced at her from the side, giving her a half smile. "Of course it was," he joked, nudging her back. "Be spontaneous with me more often."

She nodded, silently agreeing. She'd do anything he asked her to do and by now, she was pretty sure he knew that.

"So you're agreeing to go to the actual party with me on Friday night after my basketball game?" Troy asked with a smile, hoping that was enough to convince her to come with him. He knew she was not big on parties.

"Ok decision maker."

Gabriella stood up, brushing off her hands on her jeans. "Where do you think you're going?" Troy asked, reaching for her, accidently knocking her to the ground altogether.

_Smooth, Bolton, really smooth_, he thought to himself as he crawled over next to his best friend who was either crying or laughing hysterically.

"I'm so sorry," he said, hovering over her body. She rolled over so she was lying on her back and Troy could now she her eyes that were filled with amusement.

"You're right, you do use force," She said through giggles and Troy couldn't help looking slightly hurt. He covered it up quickly; not wanting Gabriella to know that her simple remark had left an impact. Sure, she meant it entirely as a joke but she didn't know that deep down, Troy wanted nothing more than to protect her, not be the one who hurt her, even if it was an accident.

Troy laughed, getting on top of her, tickling her sides with no mercy, not realizing the position they were in. So many times they had wrestled, whether they were five, eleven, or now, seventeen. He stopped when Gabriella began heaving for breath, laughter causing her breathing to become obstructed. He was leaving her breathless; she knew it was nothing new. Desperately she wanted his lips to just land on hers. Her face faltered slightly when he leaned down towards her ear. "What did the top of the cube say to the bottom of the cube?" He whispered out of breath.

_What?! _Her mind screamed. It was a usual Troy moment. He was always ruining times like these. She didn't want him to think she was upset so she decided to go along with it. "Um I don't know. What did it say?"

"I'm over you," Troy said with a laugh and then Gabriella pushed him off of her.

"That was not funny at all."

"You know it was!" Slowly, she began folding up the blankets and rose to her feet. Stretching her arms over her head in a way that Troy found adorable, Gabriella let out a long exaggerated yawn.

"How about you take me home now?" She asked drowsily. Troy nodded, hiding his disappointment as he stood up beside her.

The ride back to Gabriella's house was almost completely quiet except for the radio, which was turned low so it was barely audible and Troy and Gabriella's steady breathing. Though she spoke no words, Gabriella's mind was racing with them. All she could think about was what would happen if Troy found out that she liked him. Would he freak out and never talk to her again? Would he pretend like she never said anything at all? Would he think she was crazy since they had been best friends since either of them could remember? Or… maybe he would end up doing what she feared the most, and that was feeling the same way. Troy pulled into the Montez driveway and turned off the car, waiting for someone or something to break the silence. He cleared his throat and looked over at Gabriella who seemed even more nervous than she was earlier. He could ask her what was wrong but she really didn't seem like she wanted to talk about it.

"So, party, Friday night, after my game?" Troy asked.

Gabriella smiled warmly, "Of course."

"You're going to the game right?"

"When have I ever missed one?" She said with a small giggle and climbed out of his truck. She poked her head through the window, offering Troy one of her cheeky smiles that he couldn't get enough of. "Thanks for tonight, Troy. It really was…amazing."

Amazing could not possibly describe the evening well enough.

He couldn't find his voice so all he could do was nod. Then she left, leaving Troy with only the vision of her retreating back. He thought that if he didn't have the guts to tell her soon, that's all he'd be left seeing. Troy knew that Gabriella was gorgeous, intelligent, and all around a great person to hang out with. A lot of guys already knew this at school. Troy didn't want to be the one who had to watch Gabriella's retreating back as she walked off with another guy, unless, of course, that guy was himself.

**review? they make my day.**


	3. You are my wings to fly

**here's another update! my next update will be for my story RP. i've actually got another idea for a story but i want to finish RP before i start writing anything else and THEN there's always my sequel to RP if i want to write one. well enjoy...R&R? they make my day x3**

"_If I don't say this now I will surely break  
As I'm leaving the one I want to take  
Forgive the urgency but hurry up and wait  
My heart has started to separate  
Oh, oh,  
Be my baby  
Ohhhhh  
Oh, oh  
Be my baby  
I'll look after you"_

--Look After You, The Fray

_Gabriella knocked twice instead of barging right in like she was accustomed to. Truthfully, she was afraid of what she might find on the other side of the door. She heard the floorboards creak on the other side of the wooden door which were followed by a series of coughs. _

"_What do you want?" A voice called from inside without even opening the door. The voice was not the voice Gabriella had grown to love. Instead it was completely unfamiliar and scary to her. _

"_Troy, it's Gabi," She let out a breath she didn't know she had been keeping inside._

_Troy cursed quietly, rearranging the inside of the Cricker trying to hide any evidence of smoke which he found impossible. His eyes and throat burned like a raging fire. Quickly, he threw the cigarette box out of the Cricker's window, hoping that somehow Gabriella had not seen it. Opening the door only slightly so he could see that it was indeed Gabriella, he glared. "What do you want?"_

_She winced at his tone and stared at her sixteen-year-old best friend. This was not the Troy she knew. His eyes were blood shot, his hair messy and greasy looking. Pushing the door opened, she stepped inside. Gabriella knew that no matter how different he looked and was acting he was still the same Troy and Troy would never ever hurt her. _

"_What are you doing?" He demanded but Gabriella's eyes were focused on looking for the source of the smoke that she could smell. _

"_I think the question is, what are you doing," She snapped back and Troy sighed._

"_I can explain."_

"_No Troy, you can't," She said and quit searching, sitting down on the hard floor of the Cricker. "You promised you'd stop this last week," she muttered softly, shaking her head. _

"_I um…" _

"_Where are they?" Gabriella asked angrily. _

"_Gabs calm down."_

"_No! I asked you a question now answer." But Troy remained silent. Lowering her voice to barely a whisper she said, "You're better than this." _

_Troy sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "No I'm not." _

_Gabriella huffed and left the Cricker. If he wasn't going to talk to her than there was no point for her to stay. As she left she lingered around the outside, searching for something she was sure she'd find. First, she let her eyes scan over the yard around the Cricker. Her eyes lit up when she finally had success. Scooping the box of cigarettes in her hand, she turned to leave the Bolton's yard, hoping to dispose of them so Troy wouldn't be able to have them. _

"_Hey Gabriella!" Jack Bolton called as he approached her from the backyard patio. Panicking, she clutched the box in her hands she was holding behind her back, her face becoming paler and she became nervous. Jack Bolton, having known Gabriella almost her whole life immediately noticed how odd she was acting. _

_She didn't notice that Troy had left the Cricker and was standing beside her, his face full of fear as he saw the situation that she was in. "Um hey..Jack," she said uneasily. Troy's eyes were as wide as saucers as Jack examined the two teenagers more thoroughly. _

"_What are you two up to?" He asked with a laugh, unserious. _

_Gabriella cleared her throat, looking for some way out of this but as she looked at Troy, she knew he had no ideas. She gasped at her stupidity as she dropped the box that was smuggled between her hands. Not going unnoticed by Jack, his eyes widened at the sight then quickly retrieved it from the ground._

_"What's this?" He asked, surprise evident in his tone._

_Bracing herself, Gabriella closed her eyes before opening them once again slowly. She averted her attention to Troy, looking to see if he had the intentions of telling the truth but she could tell by the way his eyes stayed glued to the ground that he was going to let Gabriella take the fall. Jack Bolton was waiting for an answer from Gabriella not knowing that he wouldn't find one there._

_"They're they- they're not mine," Gabriella stuttered then bit her lip after realizing what she had implied. If they weren't hers they could only be one other persons…_

_"I…I-," Troy began speaking while Jack's eyes shot daggers at his son. His words were of an emotion that Gabriella didn't recognize in Troy's voice. "I hate you," he mumbled to Gabriella. The words stung like icicles on bare skin in the middle of a blizzard, crashing down and cutting through her. Then, she was numb and cold._

_Troy felt hopeless and lost. It had been three days since he had last spoken to Gabriella. It had been three days since he had told he hated her. He knew that he could never hate Gabriella. He couldn't get over how stupid he felt for even listening to Chase, an older boy on his basketball team, when he told him that smoking helped calm the nerves. It had the opposite effect on Troy and even after Gabriella had told him not to do it two weeks before, he continued to do it until she caught him in the Cricker. He would do anything to take it back. Trying to call Gabriella several times, he didn't get any answer. Her voice mail recording he was beginning to memorize word for word. At the moment, he wasn't sure if he could face her. After the look he saw on her face after saying he hated her, he felt ashamed._

_Contemplating whether or not he should knock on the Montez household's front door, he decided against it after seeing that all the lights were off. Most likely they were already sleeping. Before turning to leave for his house, Troy received his last strand of hope for apologizing to Gabriella when he saw a dim light coming from her window, most likely the small desk lamp that sat beside her bed. Troy smiled to himself when he reached the balcony, always finding the door unlocked. He slipped into the room quietly._

_Before he even called out her name, Troy heard her even breaths from where she lay in her bed, a novel still open against her arm as she slept soundly. First, he picked up the book she had been reading and made sure to mark what page she was on because he knew how aggravating she found it when she lost the page she was on. He cleared her bed of her school books gently so he wouldn't wake her then carefully pulled the blanket to her shoulders hearing Gabriella sigh and stir while doing so. But she never woke._

_Troy sat down in her computer chair, watching her sleep for a few minutes. He knew he couldn't apologize to her tonight. Swiftly, he tucked a strand of loose curly hair behind her ear before kneeling down beside her bed. As he watched his best friend he became more shocked that he could have even told her he hated her. The way he felt for Gabriella was the farthest thing from hatred. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead before rising to his feet and leaning towards her ear. "I didn't mean it Brie…" Troy paused but then realized she wasn't going to say anything back. "I'm sorry."_

Troy looked around the Wildcat's huddle filled with faces that were all expecting answers from him. He couldn't clear his mind though. His mind was a bulletin board tacked with thousands of different thoughts and he couldn't focus on the end of the game that he had to win so that he could enjoy his Friday night. Before he could even comprehend what he was doing, his eyes left the huddle and began searching the crowded bleachers in East High's gymnasium. Then, he saw her face. She gave him a reassuring smile and that was all it took. He smiled to himself in disbelief, not understanding how she had this effect on him sometimes. Just looking at Gabriella gave him the clarity that he needed.

* * *

"I'll be fine!" Gabriella said pushing Troy towards Chad, Jason, Zeke and other boys on his basketball team. "You can't look after me all night," She said while waving towards Taylor and Kelsi who were hanging out in the Evan's kitchen. "Go have fun, you deserve it," She told him with a smile. All the wildcats were at a party at the Evan's house, celebrating another victory. Before he could even protest, she left him in the middle of the living room which was crowded with wasted teens to meet up with her other best friends.

An hour and a half passed and Gabriella wasn't drinking. She never drank and high school parties weren't her favorite use of spare time. She kept stealing quick glances at Troy only to find him chatting the head cheerleader, Lauren Mendell. Gabriella knew that they were just talking but it still managed to give her that sick feeling in her gut everything she saw him talking to her. Basically, the reason for that was because Gabriella looked at Lauren and saw everything that she wasn't.

"Gabs, you ok?" Her friend Taylor asked as she studied her pale face.

"Yeah I just need something to drink."

"You do?" Taylor asked with concern and surprise at the same time. She and Kelsi shared a nervous glance, obviously worried about their friend. Before they could press the subject any further, a strong arm wrapped itself around Taylor, and then Chad's face appeared by her shoulder, his wild hair sticking out in all different places.

"Hey Chad," Gabriella said while taking tiny sips out of her red cup of spiked soda.

"Yo, did you catch the last part of the game?!" Chad's eyes lit up like a small child's would. "Troy was like whoa _WHOA_ and faked and then whoa and swish and then whoa!" Chad rambled and Taylor rolled her eyes, knowing well that her boyfriend had already had perhaps one too many to drink. Gabriella laughed at the small exchange from the couple and sighed. Someday, she hoped to have someone like that.

Suddenly, she felt a light tap on her shoulder. "Gabi?"

"Justin!" Gabriella smiled and hugged her old friend tightly, the friendly hug not going unnoticed by Troy who was watching from across the room.

"So it is you. I was talking to some of the guys over there and they didn't think you'd come to something like this," He told her and Gabriella looked around to see what 'guys' he was talking about. Sure enough, she saw five guys watching her and Justin smiling. Self consciously, Gabriella smoothed out her loose fitting tank top over her skinny jeans.

"Well I'm here."

"Yea…so I was wondering if you wanted to dance?" He said while motioning towards the dance floor. She looked over Justin quickly, liking how the black tee shirt he was wearing brought out his incredible hazel eyes.

She smiled uneasily. "Yea sure," Gabriella replied, taking his hand and leading him to the dance floor.

A few songs had passed and she could now feel his warm breath on her neck and his arm wrapping tighter around her waist. Gabriella felt something moist on her neck and after a few moments, she realized it was a pair of lips. She moved out of his reach, uncomfortable with the situation. "Um I need another drink," She told Justin.

"I'll get it," He said suggestively.

"No really, it's fine, allow me."

Another hour had passed and Gabriella lost count of how much she had to drink. Troy was nowhere to be found, most likely off somewhere with Lauren. Just thinking about it made her feel sick as if she didn't feel sick enough already. What she really wanted was to be home in bed, curled up in her blankets reading a good book. Overall, she just didn't like parties.

"Gabi, is that you?" Troy asked from behind the breakfast bar in the kitchen, looking down at Gabriella who was sitting on the floor, leaning against the refrigerator.

"TROY!" Gabriella said giddily and tried to stand up, only to fall back down again which caused her to laugh.

"Wow, Gabs are you drunk?" Troy asked in bewilderment. He never thought he'd see the day when his best friend finally let go of some of her inhibitions and lived a little.

She hiccupped and giggled. "If I told you I was then would you…" She trailed off as she noticed how Troy's hair was slightly messy and another button on his shirt was undone unlike it was earlier. "Someone had some fun didn't they?"

"Yeah maybe a little too much fun," He mumbled, hoisting his friend into his arms.

"Wait, no I want to stay!" Gabriella pouted like a child.

"Oh well."

After putting up a small fight as Troy buckled Gabriella into the passenger seat, she fell asleep. Troy knew she'd regret drinking tomorrow. The ride back to her house seemed relatively quick and Troy couldn't think of how he could get her back into the house without her getting caught. There was no way he could get in without going through the front door. With Gabriella being completely drunk, he couldn't possibly get her to climb the tree that reached up to her balcony. He turned off the car after pulling into the driveway to try to think it through. Hearing Gabriella stir, Troy turned to face her.

"Hmm…Troy?"

"Shh, go back to sleep," Troy murmured and waited until she closed her eyes and drifted back into slumber. He carried her carefully to her bedroom bridal style while staying quiet so her parents wouldn't realize that their only daughter was getting in so late. "Gabs?" Troy shook her shoulders lightly after placing her on her bed. "Are you going to sleep in those clothes or…?" He didn't know if the situation could get any more awkward for him. She wasn't waking up anyway. "I think you'll be fine," He whispered practically to himself. Troy tucked Gabriella in and made sure to leave a small wastebasket near her bedside, just incase. Before leaving he sat on the edge of her bed watching her, thinking he had to make sure she was ok. He sighed and stood up.

"Troy," Gabriella called for him as he hovered over her.

"What's wrong?"

"Can you…stay with me tonight?"

Troy tensed up and then exhaled, trying to calm himself. He wanted to stay but he knew he couldn't. Moving a strand of hair from her face, he gave a disappointed smile, "Sorry Brie, but I have early Saturday morning practice."

She nodded but he wasn't sure if she actually understood. "Night," Troy said softly, leaning down and placing a kiss on her warm forehead.

Gabriella felt a smile form on her face as she barely remained awake. The moment seemed almost too familiar to her but she couldn't place where it had occurred before. Maybe once in a dream or maybe it was just a déjà vu type thing. Around her, she could feel the covers being brought up higher past her shoulders then heard the sound of his footsteps leaving her. It was the sound that she hated the most.


End file.
